Letter From the Director

An Invitation to Support Your Community
A Letter from our Director,
Sara Penhallegon

I hope you are all doing well and staying healthy in this surreal time. At Center Valley Animal Rescue (CVAR) our staff and volunteers have done a great deal of adjusting, but it seems the animals do not care about COVID 19 at all. Everybody from our Emu, Dosewallips to our FIV cats still expect food and care, all while emergency cases continue to roll in. Despite challenges we are making sure all of the animals at our facility continue to receive the high-level of care they are used to. Thank you to all our incredible volunteers who are so dedicated and keep this place running even during this difficult time.

I understand many of you are struggling to get by, and all of us here at CVAR wish you the best. We hope to get back to normal as soon as it is safe to do so.

For those of you who are weathering this well financially, I would like to challenge you to donate to CVAR and/or one of the other vital non-profits and small businesses on the Olympic Peninsula. My husband, Robert, and I are pledging to divide our stimulus checks between CVAR (for some much needed updates to the facility) and local small businesses who need every ounce of our support in this uneasy time. I would love to challenge you to do the same!

Further, we have been offered the opportunity to have up to $7,500 matched by a private donor! All donations raised from this Stimulus Check Challenge and our Giving Tuesday Campaign will have the option of being doubled.

What your donations support at CVAR

CVAR’s mission is to provide lifesaving care and a second chance for countless animals, both wild & domestic, who come into our facility.

For example, this month we took in a sweet little shaggy dog (now known as Benji) who came as an emergency with a broken leg.

This little guy was understandably frightened of human contact and showed signs of significant physical abuse; his broken leg was the result of blunt force trauma by the owner. We have provided him with medical care and plenty of TLC, and in just a few weeks’ time his injury is improving and he is excited to have folks come play with him! Law enforcement is working hard to make sure no more animals fall victim to this abusive owner.

As folks have been sheltering in place, they’ve been making room in their hearts and their homes for new pets! We have adopted out more animals per week than ever before. This has included finding homes for 13 puppies from cruelty and hoarding cases. We are finding homes for horses and rabbits. Even our senior feline suite is down to just 3 cats; unheard of. With all of this room we’ve been able to take in 16 cats from local shelters. We look forward to finding these wonderful cats their new homes.

In the wildlife department, baby season has begun! This is always a busy time of year around here. We currently have our season’s first litter of three raccoon kits, their mom was shot. Seven cottontail rabbit babies have come in, all of which were caught by cats and dogs. Two single opossums, both of whom had their mothers and siblings killed by dogs. Baby squirrels and ducks… the list goes on! All of these babies will receive appropriate medical care and will be nursed back to health with the goal of release back into the wild.

Thank you all so much. None of these animals would be given a second chance without your help. Together we can make a huge difference for so many animals as well as the humans attached to them.

Take care and stay safe. We will all make it through this together.

Sincerely,
Sara Penhallegon, LVT
Director & Licensed Rehabilitator
Center Valley Animal Rescue

Donations can be made online
https://centervalleyanimalrescue.org/donate/

Or mailed to
Center Valley Animal Rescue
11900 Center Rd
Quilcene, WA 98376